Alternatives




Now that you've read the horrific stories on this website, I hope you will never throw a stick for your dog again. There are many many alternatives for dogs that love to play fetch, or the dogs that cannot go for a walk without carrying something in their mouths. My own Border Collie bitch "Jodie" is the type of dog that just has to carry something on her walks, I think it makes her feel important, but rather than let her pick up a stick, I will give her a small plastic bottle. Provided the lid is either removed or screwed on very tightly, it is perfectly safe for your dog (as long as the dog is just carrying it and not chewing it for long periods). A piece of hosepipe is another good alternative. Dogs find hosepipe easy and pleasant to hold and if they drop it and lose it while walking, a replacement won't hit your pocket too hard.
For dogs that love to have something thrown for them to fetch, you can't go wrong with a ball on a rope or a 'Kong'. Anything on a rope is very easy to throw a long distance so your dog will get maximum exercise. A Kong or a ball on a rope is also ideal if you have more than one dog. When one dog picks up the toy, the other can still grab the rope and have a tug of war which makes the walk more exciting and enjoyable for them.
Even if you don't have another dog, it's a nice opportunity for you to have a tuggy game with your dog instead of just throwing the ball time after time. Another game my dogs love to play when out for a walk is 'finding the toy' when I hide it in the bushes or long grass. It's fascinating to watch them using their noses to find it.
Often when I throw a toy, the dogs fly off in a different direction to the toy (which says something about my throwing !) They have to come back and look for the toy and the first one to find it, gets a sweet ! They search the park like minesweepers until they find it. It's great fun to watch.

If your dog likes to play in water, you can buy a sponge ball on a rope or one of the floating Kongs.
And for dogs that aren't interested in a running after a ball, you can always throw a frisbee. Most dogs love frisbees. They provide great exercise for dogs that can run very fast. They will quickly learn to chase after the frisbee and leap to catch it in mid-air.
There are many different types of frisbee. My dogs like the ring-type because again, they can play tug of war with each other.
I hope I have given you some ideas of things to play with in the park or on walks with your dogs. However, please be sensible when choosing toys for your dog and never throw anything that is small enough to be swallowed. Large dogs have been known to choke on tennis balls! The Kong Company produces many examples of toys which are both durable and safe to occupy dogs on their walks. Kongs come in several different shapes, sizes and colours, including some that float. They are available from most good pet shops and many online pet stores too. One such online shop which sells many different types of Kong and other safe toys is Doggie Solutions (in the UK).